Representatives from a slew of federal agencies are gathering in metro Atlanta to provide services and information to immigrant and refugee residents, courtesy of an invitation from U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Lithonia.
Johnson’s immigration resources seminar, taking place Thursday morning, is an attempt to bring resources to the immigrant-heavy communities newly drawn into the congressman’s district.
Long home to the refugee haven of Clarkston, Georgia’s 4th Congressional District now also encompasses a significant portion of the Buford Highway corridor, following redistricting in 2022. Thursday’s event will take place at the headquarters of the Latin American Association, in Brookhaven.
“We haven’t made our way up to the new part of the district [for immigration-related outreach] yet,” said Jayden Parrish, Johnson’s immigration liaison.
During Thursday’s event, attendees will be able to get updates on the status of their immigration cases, including applications for benefits such as green cards or work permits. They will also be able to learn about healthcare services available to immigrants, and access resources targeted to small business owners.
Present at the immigration resources seminar will be officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency that handles requests for visas and other immigration benefits, the Department of State, the Small Business Administration, the Small Business Development Center, and the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
Thursday’s event falls in line with the kind of immigration assistance congressional offices regularly offer their constituents. Members of Congress can’t force an agency to approve a visa application, but they can help get status updates or, in some cases, request expedited reviews.
“There are a lot of people who don’t know” that lawmakers can provide immigration-related help, Parrish said. “This is what this event entirely is for, to let those people know, ‘Hey, our office can assist you, and this is how.’”
Because of growing wait times and backlogs at USCIS in recent years, immigration-related inquiries constitute the bulk of some lawmakers’ overall constituent casework, according to a report from Roll Call, the Capitol Hill newspaper.
Rep. Johnson’s immigration resources seminar will take place on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Latin American Association (2750 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30324). To register, visit https://hankjohnson.house.gov/Seminar
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